Locking Up the Sun
by MoonFestal
Summary: If she is the beginning, then he is the end. A foil exists for even the most divine beings. (Twin!Byleth AU. Based around the Golden Deer route with some added twists!)
1. Dual Beginning

How had this happened, again?

The youthful mercenary sat upon her new bed, pressing down on the mattress to feel it squish into her palm. It was certainly several notches above the run-down beds she would typically find herself using, if she wound up on a mattress at all. That alone counted as a perk, she supposed.

But again… _How _had she, in the span of just a couple of days, become the new owner of these quarters? Reflecting on the flurry of events that had transpired made her head hurt. That and the unsettling echo of a voice that was not her own which continued to ring in her mind.

"Byleth? Are you awake?"

A new voice broke her thoughts, and she snapped up from the mattress, unnecessarily startled by a voice which she knew so well; that which belonged to her twin brother. With a breath, mumbling to herself that there was no need to be so jumpy, Byleth opened the door for her visitor.

Sure enough, standing in the doorway was a person who bore striking similarities to her, right down to the stoic blue eyes, tired from a long, busy day of firsts.

They were Byleth and Bilet Eisner. The twin mercenaries; children of the Blade Breaker himself. Though, they had not known their father by that title until just recently.

The twins almost need not speak, their eyes conveying to one another the sheer exhaustion such a day had brought. Byleth knew her brother well; of course he'd felt as overwhelmed as she. She ushered him inside, shutting the monastery out as he stepped foot into the security of his sister's quarters.

"I knew you hadn't actually gone to bed," Bilet spoke.

"You caught me," her response was flat. "If I'd stayed out, I'm fairly certain people would have never stopped talking. Every step, a new person appeared… Which is why you also 'retired', am I right?"

"They're everywhere," the male sighed. "Why did you agree to stay here?"

"Because Father is…" Byleth shrugged. "You also accepted the position, brother."

"That doesn't mean that we have to stay as well," Bilet sighed. "Professors… How ludicrous."

"… I will not disagree with you. But I think that it may be too late to decline."

Bilet's frown had grown more apparent the more the two spoke. The male mercenary had not given much protest during recent events, but Byleth could see now that the situation brought him a degree of discomfort, even more than it had to herself. Neither of the two were exactly adept at displaying emotions, so the furrow in his brow clawed at her own unease.

After all, the past few days had been nothing short of a whirlwind for the unit of mercenaries. One moment all had been routine, the three camping out in a run of the mill village and preparing for their next mission. The next, three most unusual guests had appeared on their doorstep, beckoning for their aid. A rowdy group of bandits was nothing for seasoned mercenaries, so naturally they had complied with the request.

However, that had been no ordinary bandit clean up. In truth, Byleth was certain that she had met her end at the blade of an axe that night.

Except there she stood, no worse for wear, embarking on this bizarre new chapter alongside her brother. Whatever the truth of that night, and of the voice echoing in her mind, she had lived. Lived to save the noble girl and lived to accompany the royal trio back to Garreg Mach Monastery.

The three students were… interesting, to say the least. They had clamored over themselves to claim she and her brother for their respective lands- or two of the three had, anyway. Dimitri and Edelgard- a genuine prince and princess- had been so eager to join forces with the pair, bickering amongst one another for the opportunity. In his own words, the third student- Claude- hadn't intended on being quite so forward right off the bat. Still, the three lords had been brimming with conversation along their short journey.

Yet in spite of such invitations, it seemed the monastery itself had won the bidding war on the two young warriors.

The three nobles would not be separated from their rescuers any time soon, it seemed, as Byleth and Bilet had somehow been swindled into accepting teaching positions at the esteemed academy. The offer made not a lick of sense, but Rhea had insisted. Perhaps it was her near intimidating grace, or the familiarity with which she addressed Jeralt, but neither had been able to turn her down in the end. And so, starting the following day, they would begin their new chapter as professors of the Officer's Academy.

"… They all seem like nice enough kids," Byleth said, breaking the silence that had filled the room.

"Can we call them kids, when it feels as though we're hardly older than most of them?" Bilet questioned. Not that either of them knew their exact age. "And those nobles- the house leaders… I don't know about them."

"No? You seemed to be getting along well with the princess. Edelgard, was it?"

"She's tolerable," he crossed his arms in response to his sister's chiding. "And you? The prince AND the duke seemed quite eager to keep close."

"Brother, do not," Byleth waved him off. "They're all... quite different. But not unkind, I suppose."

"And you chose the one with the bow. Who tried to run off from those bandits initially."

"He did call it a 'strategic retreat'," she looked half amused. "I don't know. It felt odd to make a choice like that. But something about him felt more… grounded, maybe. I don't know. Why did you choose Edelgard's class?"

"As I said, she's tolerable," Bilet shrugged. "Her mind is vigilant. I found her to be the smartest of the three."

"I don't know if that's fair," Byleth chuckled. "But you may be right."

Silence returned to the room, something which was not typically uncommon- or uncomfortable- for the pair. They did not always need words to communicate, nor did they always need to be active in the other's presence. Yet this silence was different. Something hung in the air with it, and Byleth couldn't pinpoint what.

"Perhaps we should sleep, for real this time," she suggested, fingers fidgeting lightly.

The suggestion was met with another sigh from Bilet. "You may be right, sister. Tomorrow will be… Something to behold, surely."

"Try to keep your chin up. At least our classrooms are close to one another."

"You as well," he nodded.

With a half wave, the male mercenary opened the door to begin the return to his own quarters. Fortunately, they had been placed next door to his sister's, meaning that he would not risk getting bombarded by the curiosities of the monastery's inhabitants.

"… Bilet?" Byleth spoke suddenly, stopping him from shutting the door fully.

"Hm?" Bilet blinked, turning his gaze back to his sister.

"That night…" she began, her eyes not meeting his own as her hands continued to fidget. "With the bandits. Did you notice anything… Strange?"

_Like how you stopped time?_

"Strange?" He raised an eyebrow at her curious words, looking only puzzled.

"… Never mind," she waved him off then, attempting a small smile. "it was a chaotic fight- I'm overthinking. Good night, brother."

"… If you say so."

Bilet simply gave a nod, waving yet again before at last shutting the door and leaving his twin alone once more with her thoughts. Byleth let out a sigh, falling onto the comforting softness of her new bed. So, he didn't notice it, then? … Whatever "it" was. Thinking too deeply on it threatened to give her a headache. She was going to be starting as a professor in the morning, and there was no time to be plagued by bizarre worries.

No matter the circumstances, she had lived. She was grateful.

* * *

_She stopped time. You saw her._

Bilet tensed as the familiar voice echoed in his mind. The teal haired male laid down on his new bed, the darkness of his newly gifted quarters feeling almost as though it could swallow him. He wished only to sleep, and perhaps to awaken back in Remire Village. Ready to face his next assignment alongside his sister and father. But that grating voice would not allow him the luxury of the former.

_Will you acknowledge it, now? She is not human. She should be cut in two right now- but instead continues to breathe._

"Stop."

He could recall the very moment despite his pleas. In the midst of battle, that worthless thief springing up to attack the princess. His sister, often too impulsive for her own good, rushing in without a second thought to save her. And Bilet saw it, he saw that axe hit her flesh… only to stop short of a full cut. From that point, he only remembered being frozen to where he stood, everything around him unmoving, yet he was completely aware of it all.

Until a flash came, and the scene repeated itself. Except that time his sister rushed in with a more calculated defense, successfully fending off the bandit leader.

_The truth is undeniable. And now she will unite with that wretched woman. You saw the way she looked at you. If looks could kill, she would have pierced your heart._

Rhea. That powerful, knowing gaze had shot right through him. Her eyes had targeted him in such a different way than they had his sister. Remembering her eyes, and the smile with which she later welcomed him with made his blood run cold. He was only able to remain flat in her presence, using everything within his power to not show the uneasiness he felt. At such times, his general lack of emotion was certainly beneficial.

Even Jeralt had warned his sister and he to watch out for her. What did he mean? What had happened between his father and this woman in the past?

_She knows the truth of what you are. And if you are not careful, she will strike you down. Do not be a fool while in her presence._

"Stop. Talking."

_Still, this situation is not without its merits. You have a part to play now. You will see it through._

Bilet turned onto his stomach, placing the pillow over his head as if it could somehow drown out the noise which burned his ears. He did not understand what exactly he had stumbled into, nor was he eager to find out. A professor with no background. A woman with eyes like the sharpest blades. His sister, freezing time itself. All of which surrounded by three houses, three troublesome nobles, and a plethora of corresponding nuisances.

And that incessant voice, always ringing through his mind.

* * *

Byleth felt a grimace, though she was uncertain of whether it had properly translated to her outward expression or not. But a certain dread hung over her as she walked, boot heels clacking on the stone path of the monastery. The morning had begun full speed ahead, as she had near immediately been summoned by Seteth to receive some necessary books and supplies for the coming lessons.

Seteth seemed to hold a certain distaste for she and her brother, a demeanor which held stark contrast to Rhea's much more welcoming attitude. He was clearly displeased with the new pair of professors, but wasted no time in loading them down with supplies and giving an earful about proper teacher conduct nonetheless. Byleth often felt neutral to most situations, but that lecture had left her awfully agitated. The teetering stack of books and papers struggling to remain in her arms did not help alleviate that agitation.

"Morning, Teach. Ready for day one of your exciting new career path?"

An increasingly familiar, playful voice snapped Byleth back to reality… and caused her to drop a couple of books in the process. The young woman looked rather puzzled as she juggled the papers, folders, and books; having been paying far more attention to them than she had been to walking.

"Huh? Oh- … Claude. Good morning."

The leader of the Golden Deer house stood before her, an ever curious smile on his lips- a smile which still, strangely, did not seem to reflect in his eyes. Byleth felt slightly embarrassed for appearing so scatter brained in front of the young heir. She started to bend down to pick up the fallen books, but Claude beat her to it.

"Why don't you let me take some of that?" He offered with a light chuckle. "Let me guess.. all gifts from Seteth?"

"How did you know?"

"Just had a hunch," Claude replied, taking a couple more of the books from his new professor.

"I suppose there's no easing into it on such short notice," Byleth shrugged. "Er.. thank you, Claude."

"You got it, Teach! And I've got faith in you. Your lectures are bound to be more entertaining than Professor Hanneman's or Professor Manuela's. Well, okay, maybe not Professor Manuela, depending on the day."

"Thanks for the confidence…" Byleth gave a dry laugh, setting the books and paper upon her desk.

"Claude. Are you pestering our new professor first thing in the morning? Please, she has only just entered the classroom. Do allow her to get adjusted before-"

Another student had appeared. Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, who seemed to fill others in the room with dread the moment his mouth opened. He continued to lecture his house leader, clearly under the impression that he was doing her a favor, though Byleth attempted to explain the misunderstanding.

"Forgive me, Professor, I am ever so sorry for inconveniencing you! So very un-noble of me, I'll show myself to my seat!" Claude gave an exaggerated bow, following up with a wink as he made his way to his seat, clearly irritating Lorenz further in the process.

"Professor! You_ must_ excuse our house "leader", he is not represe—"

"Oh, give it a rest, will you?" A third voice entered the conversation, this time belonging to Hilda, another young noble in the class. "it is WAY too early to be scolding anyone, Lorenz!"

"Hmph! The Professor surely understands that—"

"Um. Really, it's all fine. No one has done anything wrong. So, we should just… What is that smell?" Byleth blinked, her thought cut short as the distinctive smell of cooked meat entered her nose.

"Morning, Professor! Hope you don't mind that I brought the rest of my breakfast here. I was still hungry!"

The next to speak was the largest of her new students, Raphael, who sat in the back of the class with a plateful of meat and looking happy as could be. Byleth wasn't sure she had the heart to turn him down.

"I tried to tell him eating in class probably wasn't the best idea, but…" Ignatz interjected, albeit quietly.

"it's… Alright, for this morning," Byleth shrugged, still fumbling through the materials laid out on her desk.

"Professor, this is far too shameful. Do not allow this to color your view of the Alliance, as I can assure you that its nobles have adequate manners, at both the breakfast table and in the classroom," Lorenz spoke again, shaking his head at Raphael.

"Okay, seriously, if he wasn't eating then his stomach would probably be growling through half the class, right?" Hilda spoke again, rolling her eyes. "I'd say we got the better end of the deal."

"She makes a good point," Claude nodded.

"Yeah! Definitely!" Raphael simply laughed, clearly unbothered by the raging debate over his breakfast.

"Professor, you DO have a lesson plan for us, right?"

This time it was Leonie who spoke up. Byleth locked eyes with the eager looking redhead, who was staring at her quite expectantly. This was the girl who had said she was Jeralt's apprentice. Byleth could feel her anticipation, but couldn't shake the feeling that her every move was being heavily judged.

"Would you all be QUIET?! You are acting like children!" Huffed the youngest of the class, the girl with the ghost-white hair and bright eyes. Lysithea, Byleth recalled her name; she was one of the few who appeared to actually want the class to begin.

Several voices bickered and rang throughout the classroom, but notably one never spoke. Sitting toward the back of the class was the somber young noble she'd met the day before. Marianne. Byleth's gaze lingered on her for a moment as the rest of the class remained preoccupied, and Marianne briefly glanced back… only to immediately shrink away. Byleth frowned slightly before turning her attention back to the class as a whole.

"Ahem—Yes, I do have a lesson plan." She definitely did not. "So… If everyone is here, we'll begin now, alright?"

What a curious bunch these Golden Deer were indeed.

* * *

The ring of the monastery's bell, a tune which would soon become quite familiar to the Academy's newest pair of professors, signaled the end of the school day. Students bustled about, heading off to complete homework or utilize their precious free time. Faculty retreated to their own quarters as well, the atmosphere of the monastery lightening just a bit. For the twin professors, the sound of that bell could not have come fast enough.

Byleth and Bilet near crashed into each other as they raced across campus back to their respective quarters. The twins shared a knowing look of exhaustion as they took the moment to breathe sighs of relief. Somehow, it seemed that they had both survived the first day in their new roles.

"Rough day, huh?" Byleth spoke first.

"I truly do not know how I survived," was her brother's reply.

"That sounds slightly dramatic, brother."

"Is it?" He brushed back some hair from his eyes, heaving yet another sigh. "They're… lively. Except for one, at least. Where do I begin, sister? The short one does not know how to raise his hand, firstly. Edelgard's right hand man looks as though he's preparing to place a curse on me at any given moment. Ah, have you become acquainted with Ferdinand von Aegir? He is a wealth of knowledge; he should probably have been up there doing the teaching instead of me."

Byleth could not help chuckling as her brother spoke, his words laced with such sarcasm and more energy than normal. It was rare to see him speak in such an animated manner.

"What else? One of them fell asleep on me. I'm still not sure if I'm grateful for that or not. In contrast, one of the girls nearly split my ear drum from her scream when I called upon her. At least the three other girls were well behaved. Though, the brunette- Dorothea, I think? Was a little too amused by it all…"

"Despite all of that, it appears you survived day one," Byleth replied, small hints of a smile forming on her lips.

"And you did as well."

"I barely fared better than you," she noted, "The Golden Deer are just as colorful of a bunch. I'm not certain that my attempt at a lecture made it through to any of them, apart from one or two. At least… I would say that they're spirited."

"Would choosing the prince's class have been the best course, in the end?" Bilet looked contemplative.

"I'm fairly positive that one of those students attempted to ask me on a date earlier today, so I'm not so sure," Byleth shook her head.

"What a mess," Bilet grumbled, rather unamused by that statement from his sister. "What are we going to do?"

"Grin and bear it," Byleth replied. "I don't think we can turn back now… So we'll need to find a way to adjust to the roles, I suppose."

"May the Goddess help us, in that case."

In just a couple of days, Garreg Mach had bestowed a generous portion of uncertainty to the Eisner twins. Neither Byleth nor Bilet knew what to expect from the coming days as they eased into their new roles at the academy. Their world had been flipped upside down the moment they stepped foot into the monastery, and it was apparent that the rush of their new lives would not be slowing down any time soon.

The twins' world had always been a relatively simple one. They were together since birth, traveling with Jeralt and never knowing one place for too long. They had grown up relying on one another almost exclusively, with most people and locations existing only as temporary fixtures. Their small family unit, in all its abnormalities, had always been the only consistency. Neither of the twin mercenaries had ever expected that way of life to change, and judging by his reaction, Jeralt hadn't either.

Caught up in the waves of such change, the two siblings exchanged knowing looks. They felt sure of only one thing as they retired to their personal quarters for the evening. In spite of all the unknown, in spite of the uncertainty, in spite of the voices…

At least they were in this together.


	2. Two Steps Toward

Hello! I'm in the process of moving this over from AO3 and forgot to include an author's note in the first chapter, whoops. This fic is heavily inspired by the amazing pieces of twin Byleth fanart on Twitter, but definitely goes its own way with that concept. I haven't written in a really long time… but it's been exciting bringing this idea to life. I hope it's enjoyable!

As stated, the fic is based around the Golden Deer route, and while it will have differences here and there I just want to note that there will be spoilers! So there's your official warning! Also just as a heads up, the rating might change as this goes on, but I'm not positive of that yet.

That said, onto chapter two!

* * *

"Sister. Is the rumor true? Has that woman truly assigned your class the task of cleaning up bandits?"

"Watch your tongue, Bilet. What if Seteth hears you addressing her that way? I can't see that going over well."

"Do not dodge the question," the male professor sighed. "What has _Lady Rhea _done?"

"You're correct. My class did get tasked to wiping out a group of bandits. Word travels fast here, huh?" Byleth responded, taking her seat at the dining table. "And what about the Black Eagles?"

"Our task is much more mundane," Bilet stated. "To the point that it's unsettling. Why would she assign a group of inexperienced children to hunt bandits? If they were a problem, she could have sent you and I after them. Or perhaps her army of knights."

Byleth could only give a shrug. "I'm not disagreeing, brother… But perhaps it's just how they train the students here. They called it 'practical experience'…"

The mock battle that the houses had participated in the month before had been one thing. That was a spirited competition, a chance for the students to test their skills against one another in a safe, controlled environment. The Golden Deer house had emerged the victors—if just barely—and had celebrated with the other two houses afterward, with the whole thing feeling rather routine. Byleth and Bilet had both embraced the comradery of fighting alongside their new students, and while both were still getting their footing in their newfound roles as professors, the whole event had gone smoothly.

However, the following month's new mission held a different tone entirely. Byleth had been told that the Knights of Seiros would accompany her class on their mission, but that was only marginally comforting. Being mercenaries, both she and Bilet were aware of the reality of battle, and how sticky situations could become even when going against everyday thieves. Such a mission undoubtedly put the students at risk of injury… or worse.

Yet, both Rhea and Seteth displayed full confidence in sending the Golden Deer out on this task.

"I will protect them," Byleth spoke again. "Rhea is unbothered… So. We can only go along with it."

Though generally not one much for emotion, those words earned a distinct scowl from Bilet. He bit into a hunk of bread instead of speaking, chewing with irritation. Byleth opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off before any words could form.

"Well, if it isn't Teach-squared!"

Claude had approached their table, Hilda strolling along at his side. The pair looked to be in good spirits, which served as a bit of a contrast to the twins' current mood. The young duke sensed their tension, Byleth was certain, yet he wore his trademark smirk all the same. Hilda beamed a smile of her own, clapping her hands together before addressing the pair of dining teachers.

"Oh, if it isn't the Professor! And Professor Bilet, too!" the pink haired noble greeted. "What a coincidence to find you both here."

"That might be a little bit of a stretch, Hilda. Big shot professors like these two have to eat too," Claude noted.

"I suppose you're right," Hilda giggled. "I was on my way back to my dorm room to get a head start on all of that marvelous homework that you assigned, Professor, but I think I could spare the time to have a meal together!"

The pigtailed student indulged in her own invitation, taking a seat next to Byleth and offering a friendly wave across the way to Bilet, whose mouth was full of bread. The male twin blinked between the two students, offering an awkward wave back.

"Always the studious one, isn't she, Teach?" Claude half snickered. "How lucky we are that she could pry herself away from schoolwork for dinner. You two must be special!"

"Oh, you are just _hilarious_, Claude," Hilda's smile never cracked, yet her eyes shot warning daggers in her classmate's direction. "As a matter of fact, they are special! The whole academy can't seem to stop talking about them, after all!"

"Is that right?" Bilet replied.

"Mhm! All of the students are just so taken with you two," Hilda nodded.

"Can't really blame them. The two of you do stand out juuust a little," Claude added, taking a seat on the other side of Byleth.

"I guess we do, huh…" Byleth shrugged, catching eyes with Bilet across the table.

Before she could add onto that thought, more guests were calling out for their attention. This time they had been spotted by a group of students from the Blue Lion house. Dimitri approached the ever-expanding dinner table with a warm smile, Dedue and Sylvain walking alongside him.

"Good evening, Professors. I did not expect to see you both here!" The prince greeted, always exuding such a formal demeanor. "And Claude and Hilda as well."

"Hey, your Princeliness. Come to join the party?" Claude asked with a wink.

"Um. We were simply passing through, but if Professor Byleth and Professor Bilet would not be opposed to it, I suppose that we could…"

"What our prince here means to say is, we wouldn't DREAM of passing up a chance to dine with such lovely company," Sylvain interjected, placing a hand on Dimitri's shoulder and focusing entirely on the two females present at the table.

Byleth merely sipped her tea in response. Hilda seemed ready to soak up the flattery, while Bilet's eyes narrowed at the flirtatious noble. A small sigh was given by Dimitri, who shot his long time friend a somewhat pleading look. For his part, Dedue remained silent, which both professors had grown accustomed to; he seemed to be following the lead of Dimitri. Which meant he was prepared to remove Sylvain if necessary.

"Careful, Sylvain, or you might see an actual reaction from Professor Bilet!" Hilda giggled.

"No, no, we will not be making anybody to feel uncomfortable," the blonde house leader assured.

"It's fine, Dimitri. You are welcome to join us."

Byleth gave a nod, gesturing for the trio of students to have a seat. Though she did not exactly smile, Dimitri met her gaze and found it to be reassuring enough. He nodded, shooting the female professor a warm smile before ushering Sylvain to sit down. Beside Bilet, of course.

"What's this? Were Black Eagles not invited to this dinner party?"

A new voice interrupted the growing dinner table, and Bilet perked up to the sound of this particular newcomer. His eyes met with Dorothea, who approached the table with Caspar in tow, a dramatized pout on her glossy lips. The male professor held back a groan—had he known the dining hall would bring such commotion, he would have taken his food elsewhere.

"What do you think, Caspar? I think that my feelings are a little bit hurt..!" The brunette shook her head, coming to stand next to Bilet's seat.

"Don't be like that, Dorothea. I'm sure there's room for two more here, right?" Caspar grinned, brimming with energy. "Oh, Professor! I was wanting to talk to you about that move you pulled at the training grounds earlier!"

"Um, it's…"

"Surely you're right! You wouldn't shun us, would you, Professor?" Dorothea asked Bilet, eyelashes fluttering playfully.

Byleth watched the scene closely, the two energetic students surrounding her brother and leaving him with no escape route. She and Bilet had never done well with social interactions, perhaps in part due to their mercenary lifestyle growing up. They communicated well with each other and could even display some semblance of emotions at times, but adding another person—even Jeralt—had never yielded the same results. Of the two, Bilet was definitely worse when it came to socializing, though Byleth wasn't exactly too far ahead. Seeing him being engaged by others who were so genuinely interested in him was nothing short of intriguing.

Dorothea even seemed to outright tease him, fully aware of the light flush of pink that had appeared on her professor's cheeks as she hovered. Meanwhile Caspar continued to discuss their earlier sparring session, looking absolutely enthralled in contrast to Bilet's blank expression.

"Just… sit. Everybody else has," Bilet nodded, quickly busying himself by shoving a large spoonful of dinner into his mouth.

"You are just the sweetest! We'll have to get Edie and the others to join us next time!" The brunette chirped, quite happily taking her seat beside her teacher.

Byleth could see the discomfort gleaming in the eyes of her poor twin.

* * *

The greenhouse was a place that Byleth found to be particularly peaceful. A moment of solitude could often be found there, or if not, the inhabitant would usually be someone on the much calmer end of the student spectrum, like Dedue. Getting to watch flowers and plants grow and bloom over time was fascinating, something that she'd never thought to experience when her life consisted of traveling. In a way, the blooming buds were a symbol of the changes her life had undergone. Changing, growing each day, becoming something new.

"Here to plant some flowers, Teach?"

Claude. He'd caught her with her nose near buried in a budding lily of the valley.

"I didn't realize you were here too," she said, her tone something akin to sheepish.

"Too distracted by that one's aroma?" he tilted his head with a certain curiosity. "Careful, Teach. That little guy's pretty poisonous."

Byleth blinked at the bell-shaped blossoms before taking a step back.

"Oh, I… didn't know. It isn't one that I've seen too often before."

"Lily of the valley. They're nice to look at, but I wouldn't exactly make it a houseplant," he said. "That's not to say that they don't have their use, though."

"No?" Byleth raised an eyebrow at that statement.

"That's filed in the top notch, classified schemes section."

"Claude."

"What? I'm not about to use them on _you, _Teach, if that's what you're thinking!" He shook his head. "But in a dire, more high stakes setting? They're pretty nice."

"High stakes…" Byleth repeated, almost to herself. "Were you here to plant flowers, then?"

"Something like that."

"Color me suspicious."

Byleth crossed her arms, staring her student down. Claude's smile never wavered, his green eyes a curiosity that never spoke any sort of hints even in the face of her strongest stone-faced demeanor. She often felt that he was playing a game when he interacted with her, at times testing her responses. Byleth may have been in the role of authority, but that never seemed to fully reach Claude von Riegan.

Amid their staring contest, her eyes caught a glimpse of some flower petals sticking out from his pocket.

"… And those are for?"

"I planted them, they're fair game!" Clause insisted.

The professor looked unconvinced.

"Really, I promise it's not for anything that could _actually_ hurt somebody, alright? Will you take my word for it, oh wise and powerful Teach?"

"So you are concocting things again.."

"Experimental. I should be getting extra credit points for it, really," he grinned. "I keep my options for battle open, that's all. You may be an expert with a sword, Teach, but there's a whole other layer of tactics to be explored."

"I've never had to use such things," she looked contemplative. "A sword was always enough in my fights."

"And it shows," Claude nodded. "It comes down to environment, really."

"Environment?"

Byleth blinked. For a moment, she was certain that she caught something different in those green eyes. But it was fleeting, and Claude seemed to quickly put up the nonchalant wall between them once more. He shrugged the statement off, fishing in one of his pockets and pulling out a small violet.

"Look," he began, twirling the little flower between his fingers like he often would with an arrow. "You never know, my little schemes might be the key to us winning that Battle of the Eagle and Lion ordeal that's coming up."

"I don't know about that…"

"You might be surprised. Look, I could even give a test run of some things to Lorenz… or even your brother. They'd never know, and it'd be our little secret, Teach."

There was that wink again. His words were teasing, though she was sure that if given the green light, he probably would test out goddess knows what concoction on an unsuspecting Lorenz.

"I think not, Claude," she shook her head.

"Is that the hint of a smile I see, Miss Stony Faced?" He met her with a grin, catching the hint of a smirk that had begun to appear in the corners of his teacher's mouth.

"You are not experimenting on other students. Or the faculty," came her response, despite finding the tiniest bit of amusement in the thought of poor Bilet getting caught in one of those schemes.

"Alright, alright," Claude resigned finally, that grin still present. "I think I em_might/em_ have gotten a slight reaction out of you today, though, so I'm counting it as a win anyway."

"Whatever you say."

"I say it's a win," Claude nodded. "Here, Teach. A truce on the schemes. For now."

In a quick, fluid motion, the duke heir placed the violet into her hand. Byleth blinked down in curiosity at the little purple flower before glancing back up at him.

"That one isn't poisonous."

"Claude…"

But he had already gestured a wave and turned his back to his puzzled professor. Byleth watched him exit the greenhouse, violet in hand, feeling no more certain of what to make of the Golden Deer's house leader.

* * *

It was, at best, a rare occasion for the monastery's training grounds to be empty. Students of the Officer's Academy and faculty alike were drawn to the spot, all eager to hone their skills or keep up a regimen. Bilet was no exception to this trend, but by now had grown used to sharing his training routine. In the end, there was no harm in training with the students, and several could even put up a good fight against him. However, on the rare occasion he was able to find some solitude to train, the former mercenary certainly embraced it.

Though it had only been a couple of months since he'd been stuck into the role of a professor, when he swung his sword it felt more like a decade. True battles were few and far between in his new life, and sparring with even his sister did not provide the same rush of adrenaline or purpose. Bilet wasn't positive how much he necessarily _missed_ fighting for a living, but the lack of it felt unnerving at times, especially as Byleth was assigned to actual combat missions,

Perhaps to drive home the pestering feeling of slacking that nagged in Bilet's mind, he nearly found himself on the receiving end of a surprise attack from a wooden training sword. The teal haired male managed to dodge in the nick of time, his instincts rushing back as she spun to point his own sword to his attacker.

To his surprise, the one he found standing there was Leonie.

"Kinda rusty, huh?" the student leered.

"What do you think you're doing? I had no idea you were even here, Leonie."

"I'm keeping your skills sharp!"

The spirited girl charged forward, swinging the wooden sword at Bilet. He countered her with ease this time, and their swords continued to parry with one another briefly, until his own broke through, narrowly missing connecting with his assailant.

"If you wanted to spar, you could simply ask."

"I wanted to see if you'd react," Leonie gave a light huff. "Captain Jeralt would be able to handle a surprise attack like that with no problem."

"Then you could try surprising him next time instead."

"I don't need to test him. I wanted to test you."

"Test my sister, then. She is your professor, after all."

"I already have!" Leonie's eyes narrowed. "And I don't get either of you."

"What do you mean by that?" The male raised an eyebrow.

"You're both impossible to read. You're… You're supposed to be Captain Jealt's kids, but neither of you are anything like him! You're both strong, I guess, but that's it."

"Why does it matter so much? We're all different people. Why should either of us be like him?"

"Ugh! That's the other thing! You're always so flippant about him!" Her face had grown red with annoyance. "You got to train with him every day, and yet… It's like you take it all for granted."

"You shouldn't be concerning yourself so much with it."

"Well, I am!" Leonie's voice had escalated, almost echoing through the otherwise silent training grounds now.

"Suit yourself, Leonie," Bilet merely shook his head. "But I have nothing more to say on the subject."

"I'm sure that you don't," she rolled her eyes. "But you will… once I get stronger than you."

Bilet glanced back at her, silent for a moment as that little declaration hung in the air. His father's one and only apprentice stared him down with a fierce gaze, eyes glaring as if trying to tear into him and reveal the answers that she craved. Seeing her become so serious over such a trivial matter almost brought a hint of amusement to him.

"Alright. You can come challenge me once you do that."

"I will! I'll take both you and your sister on and show you both what I'm made of!"

"I'll be waiting for that day, then."

She was completely serious, wasn't she?

* * *

_You cannot allow her to grow stronger._

Stop.

_Take the sword from her. That power should be yours._

Be quiet.

_That woman so willingly gave away such power. Why do you think that is?_

It is not my concern.

_She will use it to kill you if you do not act first._

"Professor? Is everything alright?"

Bilet nearly sprung into the air like a startled cat.

"What?! Oh—it's only you."

Edelgard.

His blue eyes had grown so wide upon hearing her voice infiltrate his thoughts, but they slowly softened upon being met with the young woman's gaze. Edelgard stood only a couple of feet away, wearing a look which bordered on sympathetic. Her stare, piercing under the warm light of the moon, felt like an attack; one which valiantly tried to lower his defenses before they could fully build back up between them.

"Only, he says," she gave a light scoff, placing a hand upon her hip. "You look pale, Professor."

"That isn't what I meant—I just didn't expect you to be out here this late," Bilet rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes falling to the stone ground below. "You know that there's been some troubling rumors about young girls wandering the monastery at night."

"Do you not think me capable of handling myself?" Edelgard questioned. "I am hurt by your words once again this evening."

"Edelgard," he narrowed his eyes. "I think that you may be the_ most_ capable of all the students here. However, that doesn't mean I'd like you to be taking unnecessary risks."

Those words earned him a small, coy smile.

"Is that so? Then what about you? I think that your being out all alone this late poses a risk as well, Professor."

"Hardly," Bilet's tone was flat. "I'm certain that I'm capable of defending myself."

"Yes, yes. Your sword technique has not been lost yet," she conceded. "But that aside… You really do look awfully pale."

Edelgard frowned, looking at her teacher with a genuine concern that made his chest feel tight. The two remained silent, their eyes yet again meeting and her own seemingly attempting to pull down his walls. The house leader had caught him in a rare moment of vulnerability, and there was no denying that she was well aware of this fact. Bilet clenched his fist in frustration, wishing that he could somehow shield himself from those bright, stern eyes.

"I cannot force you to talk to me," Edelgard spoke at last, shattering the silence between them. "But… You listened to me the other night. I realize that we are in different positions. Perhaps you have no desire to confide in me in such a way, but…"

"Edelgard…"

She blinked up at him, the silence making another return between teacher and student. He recalled the time she was referring to, when he had caught her in the middle of a nightmare. Despite Bilet's many attempts to retain a certain distance with his students, he found doing so growing increasingly difficult when it came to Edelgard. That night in particular, the walls had cracked, and he had been entrusted with a vulnerable piece of his leading student.

Recalling the horrors that she had confided in him that night gave Bilet a sinking feeling in his stomach. For all of her poise, Edelgard von Hresvelg had lived through despicable, unimaginable tragedy. But she stood tall all the same, walking her path with a prideful elegance unmatched by any other he'd ever encountered before. And now she stood there, eyes yet again shining with a certain vulnerability, this time in the form of sympathy for him.

"Do not worry over it, Professor," her voice had turned soft now. "Just know that I will listen if the time ever comes."

"… It's nothing to fret over," Bilet spoke, the sound barely detectable even in the dead of night.

"Professor..?"

"Call it a bad dream of my own," he continued. "It's hard to wake up from it, sometimes… It threatens to consume me. It's a very powerful dream."

"I see… So you have nights like those as well."

"The voice is loud. So loud that, in the dream, I worry that it will one day steal my own."

Edelgard gave a nod as he spoke, her eyes fully transfixed on her teacher's uncharacteristically somber expression. So many times, she had found his face to be unreadable, a blank slate never meant to be read by another. But now his brows furrowed as he spoke of his own dreams, his eyes held an unmistakable uncertainty that she had never dreamed to find in him.

"To lose your voice, to be able to watch the world around you but never speak for yourself again…" Bilet looked to the ground once more as he continued. "Such a thought has always made me uneasy."

"I can understand why," Edelgard nodded.

"I've probably said too much," Bilet shook his head. "I suppose that makes us even, hm?"

"I suppose that it does."

The young empress met him with a smile, one much more genuine than those he was typically used to seeing from her. Suddenly, he found himself very aware of the cool night air, and of the way that wall between them yet again seemed to falter.

"Then, if we're even now… I think it's time that a certain house leader returned to her dorm room."

"If you insist, teacher," she heaved a sigh. "I suppose I have been out long enough. Thank you, though… For talking with me."

"It was a pleasure, Edelgard."

_No matter what happens…_

_You must keep this one close._


	3. The Thief

First, I feel like this chapter is a monster in length compared to the first two and I'm so sorry! I really wanted to end on the last bit, so I kept it even though it makes it that much longer. Second, the bulk of this chapter could almost be a one shot... but I chose to include it here to illustrate a bit more of the Academy phase! It's 100% silly and ridiculous, and I've been on the fence about it because the tone is going to differ drastically for the rest of the fic. So.. here's some lighthearted silliness before that, I guess!

* * *

**Verdant Rain Moon**

Periods of free time were fleeting at the Officer's Academy for both students and faculty alike. Most days were occupied by classes, training, monastery duties, or mission preparation. How dedicatedly these tasks were performed varied from person to person, but even the most laid back of students would agree that the monastery was always a busy place. Days where a person could find themselves with an abundance of free time were a rarity.

Although, such days were not completely unheard of. After several months of teaching, the Academy's newest professors found themselves gifted with one such day. Their official "free day" finally met with its meaning, allowing the pair to spend their time in any manner they chose. The entire day could even have been devoted fishing, if they had desired.

As far as Bilet was concerned, he might have chosen to do just that. The Black Eagles' teacher had been longing for a true day of leisure and was eager to make this one as quiet of a free day as possible.

"You weren't joking when you said that you'd spend today fishing, were you?"

Bilet glanced up from his fishing rod (which had yet to catch a bite) to find Edelgard had stepped onto the dock. His lead student held a faint hint of amusement on her lips as she watched the lure bob quietly on the water.

"I was not," he shrugged in reply. "It's quiet and low effort. And it's a nice day for it. Plus, the dining hall can always use the extra fish."

"I can't say that it's something I'm particularly skilled with. But you do look quite content today, Professor."

"Do I?"

"Well," she chuckled. "For you, yes. It's more apparent in your eyes, really."

Bilet remained quiet for a moment. He had always been a very guarded person, and displaying emotion could be downright foreign to him. The flat demeanor had never hindered him as a mercenary, so he had never thought it necessary to change. But upon arriving at Garreg Mach, a constant point of discussion had been he and his sister's shared lack of expression. People were always baffled by it, even intimidated by them. That didn't necessarily make him want to change, but it did bring about a certain degree of introspection.

Perhaps the way he and Byleth processed emotions was flawed in some way. If that were true, then it could not be helped; but along with it, Bilet had never found much in life to evoke much emotion or feeling. The one exception to that rule would be his sister, but even those emotions were subdued—and understood between them. He had never been so expected by others to feel and express, nor had he been so constantly surrounded by lively, emotional peers.

"Maybe content is the word for it," he said. "Today has managed to be quiet so far."

And maybe due to their influence, he had begun to feel a little more deeply than before. A certain feeling of contentment did fill him whenever he caught these moments alone with Edelgard for instance.

"I shall leave you to the fish," she nodded. "If you catch something good… Maybe we can share a meal together, hm?"

"I'll try to catch something up to the future Empress' standards," Bilet gave a dry laugh in response.

"I'll look forward to it, my teacher!"

And with that, she departed. Bilet's eyes lingered on her back as he watched her leave, white locks seeming to shine in the sunlight as they blew lightly in the breeze. In the back of his mind, a familiar voice rang. Demanding, warning, burning his ears. His grip tightened on the fishing rod as he tried to drown out the unwanted noise.

"Have you caught anything, brother?"

Byleth's voice shot through him like an arrow. He glanced to his sister, who had come to stand beside him on the deck. Her blue eyes- eyes which matched his own- watched the scene with curiosity. Bilet attempted to mask the discomfort he had been feeling, though she had no doubt already caught on.

"Not much yet," he replied.

"You look a bit pale. Have you eaten today?"

"I do know how to take care of myself, Byleth. I'm just fine."

"Bilet…" She was unconvinced.

"You have several students that concern could more appropriately be directed at."

"And I have a stubborn brother who I can read like a book."

"You should read a book in the library instead. You're itching to know more about Fódlan, aren't you?"

"Bilet."

"Byleth."

"Oh, Professors! I am so glad that I found you both!"

The twins' stare down was brought to an abrupt halt. Racing toward them was none other than Flayn, a look of abundant relief shining on her face as she reached the pair on the dock. The youthful girl took a brief moment to catch her breath, smoothing over the fabric of her dress that had become slightly ruffled.

"Oh! Professor Bilet, are you fishing? Have you caught anything tasty?" Whatever was on the girl's mind seemed to quickly vanish upon catching sight of the fishing rod in the male professor's hands. She looked excitedly to the lure, still bobbing along in the water below and awaiting a catch, staring as if she anticipated a fish to pop up at any moment.

"Nothing much yet, I'm afraid," Bilet replied.

"Um, Flayn? Is something wrong?" Byleth questioned, blinking at the now preoccupied girl.

"Ah, forgive me! I am so easily distracted when it comes to fish," Flayn giggled. "But yes, I am afraid there is something wrong… You see, there is a little thief running around the monastery…"

"A thief?" The twins spoke in unison.

Flayn nodded, moving a hand upward to touch at the left side of her bangs, and both teachers now noticed that one of the hairpins that always adorned her green locks seemed to be missing.

"One of my hairpins fell out of my hair, and he grabbed it before I could… I tried to chase after him, but I am just not fast enough," she sighed. "I would not bother you both with such a trivial matter, but… These hairpins were a gift from my mother. They are so very important to me, so I must get it back…"

"Was the thief a student? Are they still in the monastery?" Bilet asked, beginning to reel back his fishing rod simultaneously.

"Not a student, but he is still here," Flayn shook her head. "Over there, in fact. That one!"

The green haired girl pointed an accusing finger across the way from the fishing dock, singling out a spot with some barrels piled up against the stone walls of the monastery. Sitting atop one of the barrels was a cat, calico in color, that at first glance did not appear to be any different than the many other strays who roamed Garreg Mach. That is, apart from one small detail: this one held a certain hairpin in its mouth.

At first, Flayn's accusation was met with silence. Each of the twin's eyes darted around the area, searching intently for the suspicious figure of the thief. It did not take long for them to pinpoint the true culprit, however.

"A cat..?" Byleth blinked.

"Yes!" Flayn nodded. "He is quite the little troublemaker! He has stolen things before, though never anything valuable. He is incredibly fast… Truthfully, I think that he likes to be chased. But I have never been able to catch him when he runs."

"It's just a cat," Bilet remarked, standing up straight and officially abandoning his fishing spot.

"So we should be able to get it back for you quickly enough," Byleth added.

With that, the twins approached the culprit as Flayn watched the scene unfold with bated breath. The pair exchanged a matching look of befuddlement, but moved forward to engage the animal nonetheless. Careful, quiet steps taken on each side of the barrel, the cat was quick to take notice of his new pursuers. Bilet was the first to move, leaping to swipe up the cat, only to be easily evaded. Byleth attempted to use this to her advantage, rushing to grab the cat as it was distracted by Bilet. But again the little animal was too swift, slipping out from under her. Hairpin still secured in its mouth, the thief darted away, forcing the two professors to give chase.

However, it did not take long for that effort to become just as fruitless. Byleth and Bilet soon lost sight of their target, and began to realize how difficult such a task may be in the vast, open area of the monastery. Flayn soon caught up to them, her expression falling to a frown as she realized they had been no match for the little thief either.

"I'm sorry, Flayn," Byleth frowned. "It looks like the cat got away from us, too…"

"It's faster than it looks," Bilet commented.

"Thank you so much for trying, Professors. Oh, what ever shall I do about this…" Flayn hung her head in defeat. But just as she seemed prepared to give up, hope reappeared on her face as quickly as it had vanished. "I know! He is very tricky, but if there are more of us trying to catch him..."

She looked between the twin professors, that renewed hope beaming in her green eyes.

"We could get the students to join us!" Flayn continued. "If the two of you asked them, surely they would all help… Professors, please?"

There was no way either of them could turn down those big, glimmering puppy dog eyes. No matter how ludicrous the request.

* * *

And so, what had once been a leisurely day at the Officer's Academy quickly took a turn in the opposite direction. At Flayn's pleas, Bilet and Byleth had assembled the Black Eagles and Golden Deer—and even managed to rope the Blue Lions in as well—for a new mission. At first, some of the students had been quite skeptical. After some bickering and push back, the one who had managed to bring all of the houses together in agreement (or, mostly agreement) had been… Hilda.

Initially one of those most resistant to the idea of putting in so much unnecessary effort, Hilda ended up the one with the winning compromise. The students would band together to search for the thieving cat on one condition: the house that captured it would be exempt from homework for the rest of the week.

Byleth's hands were tied. Of course, Flayn had chimed in that it was a perfect idea, and such an event could end up being a fun competition for the houses. The other two classes were receptive to the reward, and so Byleth and Bilet put the condition into motion.

With the three houses of students officially motivated, the new chase began in earnest.

But even with the majority of the three houses mobilized around the monastery, the thieving cat remained elusive. Byleth felt like she had been searching for it for ages, and even with so many students fired up to catch it, she wondered if one of them could. And just as that seed of doubt planted itself in her mind, she saw him.

The cat had wandered into the dining hall, accessory still in its mouth like a prize. Being the middle of the day, the hall was relatively empty, and the little thief hopped onto one of the chairs to get comfortable. Byleth began to close in, but quickly noticed she was not alone. Dimitri had also spotted the cat and was preparing to make a move. Byleth's curiosity got the best of her, and she held back, choosing instead to watch how the prince handled the situation.

The blonde's steps were careful, inching toward the cat as he spoke lightly to it, friendly words in hopes of endearing the calico to his approach. Their eyes met, and the cat seemed to watch Dimitri with as much anticipation as Byleth. For the briefest of moments, it seemed the leader of the Blue Lions would be able to make contact… Until, of course, the cat hopped away. And Dimitri, panicking in the last second, had lunged forward to stop the culprit. Resulting in a smashed chair and a few mortified looks in his direction.

"... Maybe it's a good thing that you didn't catch him," Byleth remarked, blinking in bewilderment at the collapsed wood.

She had heard rumors of his exceptional physical strength, and it seemed they were no exaggeration, Dimitri, however, hung his head in shame, looking down at the ruined chair with great embarrassment.

"That was not my intention…" he sighed. "I swear, I did not mean to hurt the cat… or the chair."

"I know that," the professor replied. "Still… That is rather impressive, Dimitri."

He glanced at her, cheeks slightly flush with embarrassment still. Of course he'd managed to do such a thing in front of her.

"That is not quite the word for it, Professor. I really do try to handle things with care, but this sort of thing seems to happen more than I am proud of."

"It's just a chair, and the cat is fine. You… can have an A for effort, alright?" Byleth gave him a light pat on the shoulder, giving her best attempt to lighten his mood.

"Was that a joke, Professor?" Dimitri chuckled lightly.

She shrugged. "I don't like to see you look so down on yourself. That's all."

"Hm. Then I will pull myself together. For you." The prince gave a small bow, accompanied by a warm smile.

"Much better. Now, shall we continue the search together, Dimitri?"

"Professor… Would that not be a conflict of interest? The houses are competing with one another for this, after all…"

"It's a completely silly competition and you know it. If you catch the cat- and keep him in one piece- whether I helped or not, the Blue Lions will be the victor, and the reverse is also true. What really matters here is that Flayn gets her pin back."

"I can agree with that," Dimitri nodded. "Alright, then! It would be my pleasure to search with you."

* * *

"C'mon, Lorenz! I definitely saw him head this way!"

"Ferdie, I know you can move quicker than that! He'll get away if you're slow!"

Two opposing pairs of students found themselves with company upon arriving at the entrance to the stable. Hilda had been leading a slightly out of breath Lorenz, while Dorothea seemed to usher along a similarly winded Ferdinand. The two female students locked eyes, each clearly seeing through the other's intentions. Both had entered this competition with a strong determination to win.

"Oh, Dorothea! You must be dedicated to winning this! I never thought I'd see you willingly out with Ferdinand," Hilda giggled.

"And dearest Hilda, you're giving it your all as well? You must be if you've attached yourself to Lorenz!" The brunette retorted with a coy smile.

The pointed words seem to fly right over the heads of their male companions.

"Well, of course I am! Lorenz here is such a strong, capable, shining example of nobility… If anyone can do this, it will be him. I'm just doing my best to support our class!" Hilda praised.

"Is that right? But I'd argue that Ferdie here is the _true_ heroic noble! A common gal like me couldn't hope to catch that cat on my own. But Ferdie is just so talented and strong, he_ definitely_ can!" Dorothea shot back, words laced with the perfect amount of melodrama.

"Ladies, while it is greatly appreciated, there is no need for such high praises," Ferdinand chimed in, though was certainly swelling with pride from their glowing words.

"It is a well known fact that Ferdinand and I are both cut from the highest standard of nobility," Lorenz added. "And it is admirable of you ladies to look to us for assistance in this competition. Indeed, the students most likely to capture that thieving scoundrel would be he or I."

"I concur, Lorenz," the other noble nodded. "It is a shame that our alliances lie with opposing sides. That said, while your efforts are as noble and admirable as always, you must accept that the victory here will be awarded to the Black Eagles."

"You are mistaken there, my friend," Lorenz gave a chuckle. "Much like in that mock battle some moons ago, it is the Golden Deer who will be victorious. With thanks largely due to myself, of course."

"You're really going hard for the promise of no assignments, huh?" Dorothea whispered.

"Well, duh! How often does a chance like this one come up? Why are you competing so hard, though?"

"You aren't the only one who values extra free time, Hilda. Less school work means a little more time for dates."

"Sly girl," Hilda smirked. "And a worthy opponent."

"I could say the same for yourself. May the biggest charmer win, hm?"

"Oh, hello there… Aren't you cute?"

Hilda and Dorothea were snapped back to reality by the faint sound of a girl's voice coming from inside the stable. The two exchanged a knowing (and panicked) glance as they realized just how much time bickering their two noble pawns had wasted, with no sign of conceding any time soon.

"Um, hello?! There's no time for this, Lorenz! We need to GO!" Hilda snapped, grabbing her classmate by the arm and ushering him further into the stable.

"Ferdie, can it! Eyes on the prize!" Dorothea barked and yanked the noble male away from his conversation in a similar manner.

The four students rushed through the stable until they found the owner of the voice, who the girls had already recognized as belonging to Marianne. Sure enough, the sought after cat had found its way to the meek girl. He had even allowed Marianne to pick him up, happily receiving her gentle scratches behind his ears all while still holding onto the prized hair accessory.

"Marianne! Stay right there, okay?!" Hilda froze.

"H-Hilda? Um.. Can I help you all..?" Marianne near jumped as the four approached her. They all looked so intently at the cat in her arms. The blue haired girl shifted uncomfortably, glancing more toward the horse that stood beside her and allowing her bangs to obscure her eyes a bit more.

"Crap…" Dorothea muttered.

"Marianne, you are looking as radiant as ever," Lorenz spoke nervously in an attempt to comfort his classmate.

"Get that thing in his mouth!" Hilda urged.

"This..? Um… I don't…"

The timid girl blinked in confusion as her friend pleaded. She had chosen not to participate in the search, citing that she would be of no real use. The dots had not connected at first, but she now realized that the cat which had the monastery in such a tizzy now rested in her , the way the two pairs loomed over her with such anticipation had her heart thumping with anxiety, and she found herself feeling frozen to where she stood.

The cat, on the other hand, was still feeling plenty confident. With Marianne unable to act, he simply hopped down from her arms and made his escape from the stables. Hilda, Lorenz, Dorothea and Ferdinand could only look on with horror as their chance slipped by.

"Nooooo! Marianne, we almost had it..!" Hilda cried, pulling at her twintails in frustration.

"And so the chase continues on…" Lorenz sighed.

"I-I'm sorry! See, I told you I wouldn't be able to help!" Marianne shook her head in defeat.

"Ah, please do not be so hard on yourself, Marianne…" Ferdinand spoke.

"Yeah! It's appreciated, honestly!" Dorothea gave a wink. "Time for the back up plan. See ya!"

"Huh? Dorothea?" Her partner blinked.

"Oh no you don't, Dorothea!"

The next thing the boys knew, Hilda was racing after the brunette with an alarming speed. Ferdinand and Lorenz looked to one another as their classmates so readily abandoned them in the dust, chasing after the victory each of them had been so certain they'd had in their respective grasp.

* * *

"This is completely pointless."

Felix grumbled as he observed his classmates racing about the monastery in what he deemed to be a senseless endeavor. He couldn't care less about the reward; the only benefit of it would be more time to train. However, chasing a cat around in lieu of valuable training time did not appeal to him in the slightest. A few of his classmates had urged him to try (namely Annette and Ingrid), but the swordsman had opted to do his usual training instead.

Or, he would have been if the chaos of the monastery hadn't been so distracting.

With another swing of his wooden training sword, he attempted to regain his focus. Something that _almost_ seemed to work… until something furry decided to brush itself against the back of his legs.

Felix spun around with near lightning reflexes, coming face to face with none other than the thieving cat itself. The calico looked up at him with interest, seeming to be in no hurry despite the grand chase occurring all around. Felix scowled at the troublesome animal.

"You. Do you have any idea what a bother this day has become thanks to _you_?" The cat gave no reaction. "Of course not. Well, if you're showing your face to me, then I suppose I have no choice but to take care of this."

"FELIX! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!"

Just as he had positioned his sword, Ingrid's voice rang out from across the monastery. She raced toward her friend as fast as she could, a look of absolute horror coloring her face. Although the cat had seemed unbothered by Felix's threat, Ingrid's arrival caused him to yet again flee the scene.

"What is wrong with you, Ingrid? I almost had the thing, but you had to shout."

"What's wrong with ME?!" Ingrid exclaimed. "What's wrong with YOU, Felix! I know the cat is difficult to catch, but that doesn't mean you can kill it!"

""Kill?! Who was planning to kill the thing?" Felix looked incredulous at her accusation. "I was going to battle it. That animal refuses to go down without a fight."

"You cannot 'battle' a cat!"

"And your method is working so much better, is it not?"

"Ugh, you are impossible… Almost as bad as- SYLVAIN!"

Ingrid cut herself off, dashing away upon spotting her other troublesome friend. Felix rolled his eyes, and against his better judgment, followed along after her. Sylvain stood several yards away from where they had been arguing, appearing to be chatting away with Dorothea and Hilda. Both of whom seemed to be adorning their best sets of bright, pleading doe eyes.

"Don't you ladies worry about a thing. This cat's in the bag, got it?" The redhead grinned.

"Oh, I'm not worried at _al_l if it's you, Sylvain," Hilda giggled. "Just remember to give the pin over to me when you get it, alright? I'll be cheering you on!"

"You'll give it to me instead, won't you?" Dorothea asked, eyelashes fluttering lightly. "You'll be rewarded handsomely, of course."

"But Sylvain! If you help out the Golden Deer, then not only will you impress me, but Professor Byleth, too!" Hilda shot back.

"Ladies, ladies!" Sylvain couldn't help chuckling at their enthusiasm. "You both have solid points, but I'll hav-"

"Sylvain! What do you think you're doing?"

Ingrid appeared behind her flirtatious classmate, arms crossed and staring him down with a stern disappointment he was all too familiar with. Felix was not far behind her, looking about as disinterested in Sylvain's antics as he usually was.

"Oh, if it isn't my sweet, lovely Ingrid!" Dorothea smiled brightly in an attempt to make light of the compromising situation. "No luck catching it either, hm?"

"Dorothea, I'm surprised at you," Ingrid scolded, though her cheeks did unwillingly flush a light shade of pink.

"Ingrid, Ingrid!" Sylvain pat the blonde's shoulder. "C'mon, everything is fine. These two were just-"

"No, Sylvain. You are with the Blue Lions, and that is the only class you'll be assisting with this! Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am…"

* * *

It was hard to tell which was more remarkable; the spirited way so many students of Garreg Mach dedicated themselves to the search for the cat bandit, or the fact that the cat itself managed to elude them at each and every turn. Not once did the little thief drop its bounty, and many would have to begin agreeing with Flayn's earlier statement: the cat enjoyed being chased.

Still, the chase raged onward. The cat made its way around the monastery, bouncing between small bouts of relaxation and running again, when a student inevitably found him. Among his challengers was the duo of Annette and Mercedes, who managed to decently keep up with the culprit, and may have even gotten to corner him… If Annette hadn't tripped, that is.

Ashe had chased the cat into the greenhouse, where the tiny thief had run into Dedue. The Duscur student's large stature seemed to almost intimidate the cat, and Ashe thought the Blue Lions may have been able to secure the victory after all. Neither he nor Dedue made any sudden movements, attempting to coax the cat over in a more gentle approach. Though on guard, the cat seemed quite intrigued by the seeds in Dedue's hand. Paws crept in his direction, and it seemed that Dedue would be able to make contact…

Until Caspar came barreling into the greenhouse. His signature warrior yells ripped through the silence, effectively terrifying the cat, who scrambled to avoid a tackle from the fired up student (while somehow managing to keep hold of the pin, of course). Ashe and Dedue could only sigh in response, while Caspar insisted there was nothing wrong with his methods.

Outside, a similar occurrence could be heard, with Raphael audibly charging after the cat in a manner akin to Caspar's. Ignatz could be faintly heard asking him not to shout so loudly.

Perhaps Bernadetta and Linhardt had been wise in their choice to not participate.

* * *

Watching all of the chaos unfold around him, Claude could almost laugh aloud. The Golden Deer's house leader had hidden himself slyly behind a bush, awaiting his own opportunity to strike. It had become quite apparent that the traditional chasing method was not working, which meant that it was the perfect time to execute a little scheme. He had speared a herring onto the head of an arrow, which was then attached securely to a long string which he had control of. The perfect mechanism for luring in a cat.

"What sort of device are you having down there, Claude? Er… do you have."

Claude blinked at the sound of a new voice. He wasn't in a place where he could be easily spotted… but then he realized where the voice had come from. Looking upward to the tree he sat near, the owner of the voice was spotted. Petra stood upon a decently high branch, looking down at her peer with great curiosity.

"Petra?" He questioned. "You think the little guy's going to get chased up a tree?"

"No, you have misunderstanding," she shook her head. "I am waiting for him. It is like hunting! I will have waiting until the prey comes to me."

"Hunting, of course. You could outhunt any one of us here, couldn't you?"

"That is truth! The people of Fódlan do not hunt like we do in Brigid. They will not be able to have capturing of this cat!"

"You might be right about that, but uh… You know that you aren't _actually_ supposed to hunt the cat, right? He's a crafty thing, but I'm pretty sure we'd all like him to stay alive-"

"Of course I will not be giving hurt to the cat- Um, won't hurt him," Petra shook her head with a serious look. "But what about you? You will be shooting him with your fish arrow?"

"Not quite," Claude gave a light chuckle. "This little guy is a special trap, it's not meant to hurt anybody."

"You have much strangeness- There is no time!"

In the blink of an eye, Petra descended from the tree like a wildcat. The conversation had thrown Claude off guard, so he was unable to prepare his arrow strike in time for the cat's arrival. Upon leaving her hiding spot in the tree, Petra dashed after her prey with a striking ferocity and grace, and Claude watched as she chased the cat off into the distance. He supposed if anybody would be able to catch the animal on foot, it would be her.

"Enjoying the show, Claude?"

With his hiding place revealed in the ruckus, Edelgard had approached her fellow house leader, Hubert following at her side. Neither party seemed to be in much of a hurry.

"Looks like you found me. At this rate, I'm going to have to rethink my plan," Claude gave a shrug. "You two just missed Petra, but I'm not sure another human could hope to catch up to her now. She might be getting you a victory, Princess."

"I'm hardly concerned about such matters. The uproar that the monastery is in right now is downright silly," Edelgard replied.

"It is an utterly frivolous task. One that is not worth Lady Edelgard's time or effort," Hubert added.

"Huh. And here I thought you'd be on the front lines of the chase, Hubert." Claude's teasing, as expected, brought no hint of amusement to the other male.

"If Lady Edelgard were to request it, then I certainly would be. And this game would have been long finished by now."

"Hopefully Petra is successful in capturing it, at least. Oh- It looks like more people have found your secret spot, Claude." Edelgard gave a half smirk upon catching sight of the pair headed in their direction- Byleth and Dimitri. "Well, well! What do we have here? An alliance?"

"Am I to take it that the three of you have had poor luck as well?" Dimitri asked..

"Teach! Just stab me with the Sword of the Creator, will you? It would be less painful!" Claude clutched his chest dramatically. Dimitri sputtered a bit, while Byleth looked about as unfazed as usual.

"Do not be overdramatic," she said.

"Oh, wait! I get it. Using that feminine charm to have him help you catch it for your beloved Golden Deer, huh? I knew you were a sly one, Teach!"

"Claude! Please, do not say such ridiculous things-" Dimitri groaned.

Claude looked all too amused as he continued to tease both his professor and the prince. Edelgard simply rolled her eyes at their antics, preparing to leave the trio to sort out the matter amongst themselves. She would have returned to her personal quarters for the day, but a figure in the distance caught her eye; Bilet, wandering alone, clearly still searching for the cat.

"I think I'll go ahead and give the competency award in this mess to the Black Eagles," she interjected. "It looks like our Professor can search without the help of others."

"Bilet?" Byleth blinked. The two had gone their own separate ways once the search began in order to cover more ground, and she had not come across him since.

"So our other Teach is still hard at work. May as well go cheer him on," Claude said.

The odd group that had formed set off down the hill toward the male professor, Edelgard calling out to alert him of their presence. The noise broke Bilet's focus, and he looked to see his sister and the students headed in his direction. Realizing that she, nor any of the house leaders, had appeared to have any luck with catching the thief, Bilet started to feel defeat set in. The once leisurely day had rapidly passed by and _no one_, despite their very best efforts, had been able to reclaim Flayn's precious pin. He started to accept the unfortunate hopelessness of the situation as his peers grew closer, and planned to discuss it with Byleth… When the culprit himself appeared yet again.

The cat looked worn out. It seemed that Petra had not been successful, but had given it a chase to remember. Bilet and the others froze in their tracks, each of them assessing the current position. The cat was slow moving for the moment, paying the group yards away no mind. The pursuers surveyed the scene, and soon noticed others making their way to the area. Hilda and Dorothea; Sylvain, Ingrid and Felix…

"If we all hit it at the right angle, we might be able to corner him and get the pin," Bilet spoke quietly.

"Then let's put an end to this fiasco, shall we?" Edelgard nodded.

With that, the chase was on for one final round. The group of six spread out when charging the thief, simultaneously alerting their classmates to the cat's location. The cat ran yet again, holding firm to his prize even still, but now struggled to locate an escape route. From one side came Hilda and Dorothea, from the other the Blue Lions trio. The chase had gone toward the fishing dock, and with so many pursuers the cat had limited places to go… except for the dock itself.

The calico rushed the fishing dock, immediately realizing the futility of it- he had no intention of diving into the water as a means of escape. The students had closed in, blocking off his escape from the dock, leaving Byleth and Bilet to face him directly.

"Yes! Get the pin, Professor! We've got this!" Hilda cheered.

"You can do it, Professor! For the Black Eagles!" Dorothea sang.

The twins glanced at one another as the cat bandit gave a warning growl. They had trapped the thief at long last… but they _had_ turned this whole ordeal into a competition. Whoever won back the pin would have the winning class. The flames of competition seemed to be ignited within the two professors as their students cheered them on with such faith and enthusiasm. While they were normally each other's equals, there had been times growing up where they had tried to best the other, usually when it came to swordsmanship. The air between the siblings suddenly grew more serious, their gaze on the other more sharp.

"You put up a good fight, Bilet. But you know that I'm quicker," Byleth stated.

"The only thing you are quick with is cleaning your plate, sister," Bilet retorted.

"We'll see what you have to say when the Golden Deer wins yet again."

"I'm very sorry to tell you that the winners of this will be the Black Eagles."

The cat had watched the two bicker with a look of intrigue. He'd have been perfectly content to let them duke it out, but the words soon came to an end, and the two professors were preparing to strike the thief down. It seemed as though the cat had finally met his match…

But the quarters were close, the dock slippery, and the thief was agile. Byleth and Bilet had descended upon their target with zeal, but the calico slipped out of their fingers, and Bilet tripped over the fishing rod that had been carelessly discarded earlier that day. He stumbled, crashing into Byleth and sending both twins falling into the pond below.

The group of onlooking students, once so excited to see their teachers competing against one another, could only watch the scene unfold speechlessly.

"Professors!" Dimitri was the first to rush toward the dock in a panic.

"Oh dear…" Edelgard muttered.

Claude, on the other hand, had broken into a laugh.

"Oh, gross! How anticlimactic…" Hilda grumbled. "How are we supposed to get the cat now? … Huh?!"

The answer to her question was just a few feet away from the dock. The thieving calico had jumped into the arms of a very perplexed Cyril, who had come to the dock upon hearing all of the commotion.

"You're a friendly one, aren't ya?" The Almyran boy spoke to the cat. "What do ya have in your mouth..?"

With a meow, the cat obediently dropped the trinket into the boy's hand. And after receiving a couple more pets, hopped down, running off into the courtyard and leaving the exhausted group of students behind.

"What is this thing? Looks kinda familiar…" Cyril looked toward Hilda, the stolen hairpin resting safely in his hand. From the stairs to the dining hall, Flayn spotted her young savior, and immediately rushed to reclaim her missing accessory and shower him in her thanks.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Hilda whined as she watched Flayn fasten the pin back into her hair at long last. "After all of that… Does that mean… none of us won..?!"

"Uh huh," Dorothea pat the other girl's shoulder. "But I think there's more pressing matters now. Like…"

The brunette gestured toward the fishing pond. Dimitri was pleading to the two teachers to allow his assistance, but the twins seemed to have other plans. Since resurfacing from the fall, the confrontation from the dock had continued in earnest, now having evolved into a ferocious splash war. The prince's pleas fell to deaf ears as the two argued and fought in the water.

The group of students watched the siblings tussle in awe, and were soon joined by Leonie and a very, very amused Jeralt. The apprentice's eyes widened as she realized the two were wrestling in the water.

"Um, Captain Jeralt? Should we do something?" Leonie asked.

Jeralt could only laugh in response- harder than Leonie had heard from him before. "They'll be fine, let em fight it out. Must have been something going on to rile those two up _that_ much."

The scene couldn't help but bring a genuine smile to Jeralt. His kids were an odd pair, baffling him in their lack of expressions since birth. His main comfort regarding them was how attached they were to one another. In their younger years, there had been rare occasions of sibling rivalry and bickering; the few times that Jeralt had been forced to separate them had been fond memories, in truth. Reminders that his kids, in all their abnormality, got worked up just like any other in the right circumstance.

The mercenary would eventually make his way to the edge of the dock, stifling a chuckle as he watched Byleth dunk her poor brother beneath the water.

"C'mon, you two. You're disturbing the fish."

* * *

**Red Wolf Moon**

The monastery fell into such an eerie silence at night. While the former reaper of the night was no longer around to terrorize those who would venture out, walking the dark pathways still felt unnerving even to Byleth. But she was fed up with tossing and turning, and of listening to a certain invisible chatty friend lecture her about methods to fall asleep. A late night walk ended up being her solution.

And for some reason she had decided to head to the library. Maybe it was the recent talks with Claude about his less than academic research project, though it felt unlikely to find him there at such an hour. Unlikely, but not impossible.

Indeed, she wasn't the only night owl running about. Claude was huddled in a corner of the library, pitch black save for the light of the candle beside him. In that dim light she could still make out how his face brightened upon seeing her, after moving past the initial surprise of having company. Her student waved her over, and Byleth obliged.

"Teach!" His voice was hushed. "Couldn't resist coming to look for more books that lack Seteth's seal of approval?"

"Not quite," she shrugged. "But I figured you may be."

"You caught me," Claude winked. "And at just the right time. I did find something. Hidden deep in this one… I almost gave up on it. But listen to this…"

Byleth watched him intently as he spoke, leaning in closer to view the text on the visibly weathered book her student had scrounged up.

"It talks about how in the beginning of everything, there were two divine beings. The Goddess, who held the power to breathe life into the world… and another, who wished to destroy the Goddess and all she created. The book calls this one 'Vena'. According to this, Vena and the Goddess were fated to oppose one another."

He flipped the page, pointing to a picture among the text. The drawing depicted a large, dark colored creature, reminiscent of both a demonic beast and the mysterious 'Immaculate One' that Claude had recently discovered in another book.

"Vena…" Byleth muttered.

"The Goddess was eventually able to defeat Vena, but it says that he is an angry god, whose soul still lingered on in a slumber. And in the War of Heroes, wicked ones sought to revive his power...But along with defeating Nemesis, Seiros sealed Vena away once again."

Byleth's eyes flitted between the book and Claude, finding herself hanging on his every word. He looked so invested in each sentence, his eyes full of intrigue and a unique seriousness as he seemed to try deciphering the true meaning behind the old text.

"I'm still learning about the Church… But I don't recall hearing any of this before. Only about Nemesis," she said.

"Because it's not noted anywhere, or spoken of in any of the Church's teachings or history," Claude nodded. "Only vague mentions of wicked gods, but never one that rivaled the Goddess."

"Vena… and the Immaculate One. They look a little bit similar."

"_Vena…" _ A familiar voice rang in Byleth's ears. _"Why do I feel as though I should know such a name? The very mention of it makes me… _

_Angry. Really angry! Ugh…"_

* * *

A/N: See, this is still a serious, drama-filled fic experience..!

Honestly, it's all downhill from here for these poor kids. Next chapter will start to rev up the plot! Even though this one was so silly, I hope it earned some laughs. I just thought the idea was cute and kind of funny, so writing it was fun! My favorite part was Felix's. The poor Blue Lions tried their best! They just lost the Byleth-lottery...

Also, this is a Cyril love zone. I had to let him be the accidental winner. :')


	4. Haunted

A/N: Finally caught up to the AO3 version of this! It's been nice using again, though. It just feels more homey to me. Also, thank you very much for the faves/follows! Please do leave a review too if you feel like it, those are always appreciated! :)

And now... sad times! (and a little dancing!)

* * *

The night of the ball was spectacular. The students were so engaged, eager to celebrate with one another and dance the night away. The twins had never experienced a formal event like it before, and once again found themselves as the odd ones out. Of course, no one would allow them to sit out the festivities.

Byleth recalled how the light seemed to glimmer on the dance floor that night. She had been content to simply sit back and watch the dancing. She watched as Dimitri and Edelgard graciously took on eager dance partners, the scene reminiscent of something from a novel. Leading their partners with such elegance, they both appeared to fit perfectly into their royal titles. She couldn't help but notice how Bilet's eyes flickered to Edelgard now and again, before changing his mind and staring elsewhere.

And then Claude had found her, taking her hand and giving her no say in the matter before leading his teacher onto the dance floor. An uncharacteristic nervousness washed over Byleth, who hadn't the first clue how to dance among nobles. But there was never a way to turn down Claude, and she'd allowed him to lead her along. While her steps were unsure, his were smooth, much like he was in combat. Eyes gawked at the pair as they glided in their dance, but Byleth found herself comforted by his easy smile. Time began to feel frozen, and her focus was split between the movement of her feet and Claude.

Somehow, those frozen moments seemed to be for them alone. Byleth became aware of how hot her cheeks started to feel under his gaze, and of the way her chest felt strangely tight with each guided step. But before those flickering emotions could be questioned, their little dance came to an end.

Claude was soon lost to her in the crowd, and Byleth took a spot beside her brother once more. Edelgard and Dimitri remained the stars of the ball, but other familiar faces had begun to appear on the dance floor as well. Notably, Dorothea exuberantly led a very nervous Ingrid, while Mercedes had paired with Ashe, and it seemed Hilda had dragged out Caspar. Ferdinand and Sylvain were popular picks (though Dorothea refused both), while Lorenz seemed to have some trouble securing a partner. Annette and Felix didn't dance, but she did appear to pointedly scold him about _something_.

Bilet did his absolute best to remain inconspicuous, but the young professor was soon pulled out onto the dance floor as well. Byleth held back a chuckle as she watched her brother get swarmed with attention, though she soon fell victim to her own crowd.

The ball seemed endless, and Byleth wound up losing sight of Bilet at some point. She concluded that he had managed to duck out of the party, and she soon did the same- much to the dismay of Sothis. However, the night was not yet over. Byleth would find herself at the fabled Goddess Tower, where she again encountered Claude.

They had made a wish there. An act that seemed just a tad bit silly, and even Claude had said the legend wasn't based on facts. But Byleth felt no regret afterward. Perhaps it was the spirit of the party, or lingering giddy feelings from their dance, but she couldn't help but wonder if those wishes might come to light one day.

All in all, the night had been nothing short of exhausting. Yet even with Sothis' emotions weighing on her, Byleth went to bed that night feeling… happy. An emotion that was rarely felt so overtly. But her students, and life at Garreg Mach… before she knew it, Byleth had come to hold them both dear. Even though she had been apprehensive in the beginning, and felt clumsy at times learning to act as a professor…

There was no denying that she felt content. And she couldn't help thinking that if things were to never change from what they had become… She would be just fine with that.

* * *

But things did change. During the assignment at the chapel, Jeralt had fallen. Byleth tried to rewind time, but even that had not been enough. Sothis deemed it to be fate. Inescapable.

For the very first time, she cried. And for the very first time, so had he.

"_Go,_" the voice had insisted. Ringing over and over until Bilet had no choice. He had left the monastery alone, traveling to the chapel that the Golden Deer had been dispatched to along with his father. When he arrived, it did not take him long to find Byleth and Jeralt.

Bilet quickly fell frozen some yards away, watching with silent horror as his father's blood spilled onto the ground. His sister held him with a face of sorrow that he had never seen her wear. Jeralt soon became lifeless in his daughter's arms, and Bilet felt he surely must be dreaming.

_This is the fault of the Church._

Bilet did not move.

_Do not look away. Look at what their carelessness has brought._

As if he could look anywhere else. He was utterly stunned, unbothered even by the rain that had begun to fall, only able to stare wide eyed as his sister wept for their father. Claude had come to stand behind her, not seeming to notice Bilet's presence in the shock of it all. Claude's hand rested on Byleth's shoulder, and Bilet saw his mouth moving, but failed to make out any sound. Byleth continued to cry, even as the rain soaked her hair and clothes, and her student eventually placed his academy jacket around her shoulders in an effort to keep her warm.

Jeralt couldn't be dead. The denial raced through Bilet's mind while his own tears mixed with the raindrops. Byleth eventually caught sight of him- though exactly how much time had passed, he was unsure. She ran to him, still wearing Claude's jacket and stained with Jeralt's blood, and flung her arms around Bilet to cry into his chest.

He could not bring himself to hold her.

* * *

"_You can barely hold a sword. You aren't coming on a mission with me yet."_

"_Byleth can't. I've been training. I'm ready."_

"_No, Father, he's still bad. But I'm not."_

"_You are so. Stop lying, Byleth. I beat you yesterday."_

"_And I beat you two times before that."_

_Jeralt watched as his kids bickered in the most oddly serious way possible. Considering that they were only eight years old, there was no chance either would be entering the battlefield that day._

"_Doesn't matter who beat who when, the answer isn't changing. The two of you need to sprout a few more inches before you get to go anywhere."_

"_But Father…"_

Small memories found themselves on repeat in Bilet's mind in the days that followed. Memories that had once seemed insignificant, but he now fought to recall every detail. Every time Jeralt had laughed or scolded him. Every moment of mindless fishing, and the meals that were enjoyed after. Every time they clashed swords. All things that Bilet had never thought terribly much of in the moment. Jeralt was a fixture in his life; he had always been there, watching over he and his sister, training and teaching them.

And just like that, he was gone. Bilet had not even been able to say goodbye. The image of Byleth crying over his lifeless body haunted him. He had so much difficulty feeling one way or another about most things, but losing Jeralt had left a gaping wound in his chest. Jeralt and Byleth were the center of his world. Bilet never expressed it, but Jeralt was a much needed rock in his life; one that he didn't realize was so crucial until it was gone.

The voice hissed and demanded even more than usual, but since the day at the chapel Bilet had managed to block it out on occasion. Even that voice had become background noise, like much of the world around him.

"Bilet?"

Byleth knocked at the door to her brother's quarters, but was only met with silence. Since returning to the monastery, she had scarcely seen him out of his room. While she understood his need for privacy to tend to his own wounds, she couldn't help wishing for him to allow her in. They had faced things together their whole lives. Surely even this would be no different.

"Bilet… I'm going to Father's room. He left something for us there, remember? We should see…" her voice faltered and cracked

"Go alone," came his eventual response.

"But…"

"Goodbye, sister."

There was no changing his mind.

But Bilet would eventually locate the diary as well. He read it alone, absorbing the mysterious story of he and his sister's birth. The entries spoke of their lack of emotion- babies that didn't even cry- and that no heartbeats were found. Among the pages, one part stood out to Bilet in particular. Rhea had requested his death.

According to the diary, the archbishop had pleaded with Jeralt that there should have only been one baby born, and that the male child held a deep rooted evil within. Rhea insisted that he would bring untold misfortune if allowed to live, but Jeralt had refused to believe her words. He protected his son from the church, but the matter had only fueled his uneasiness and desire to flee.

Suddenly, the cold stares and difference in treatment between siblings began to make sense. Rhea had been distrustful of Bilet since birth. The knowledge filled him with a renewed uneasiness. He didn't know why she allowed him to live back then, or even now, but knowing of her true feelings bred a mutual disdain.

_She could kill you at any moment, you know._

She could.

_With Jeralt gone, what would stop her?_

Nothing at all.

_You have been their enemy since day one, whether you chose to be or not. This will never change._

Bilet stumbled out of the room, heading back toward the solace of his quarters with his mind spinning. The voice was loud, louder than his own thoughts, which were a bundle of fear and confusion. He felt like a hunted animal, able to become a target at a moment's notice. His feet couldn't move fast enough, his vision was blurry- he was too vulnerable here, he had to-

"Professor?"

Bilet snapped around to face Edelgard, sweat coating the bangs against his forehead and looking as if he might might draw a sword if he'd brought one along. His student looked to him with a deep sympathy.

"Edelgard, I didn't… I'm… Sorry."

"No, I startled you. I apologize," she shook her head. "I simply wanted to check on you. I know that things must be...difficult, right now. But your presence has been missed, Professor."

'"I will resume classes shortly. My apologies."

"There is no need to apologize. But I don't want to watch you lose yourself due to this, my teacher."

"Does it matter?" Bilet questioned.

"Yes. Because the world won't stand still, and neither will that organization that's responsible for Jeralt's death." Her tone had lost its sympathy, now holding a far more serious edge. Bilet didn't respond. "You can give up, or you can keep moving forward with the rest of the world. But the future is yours to take hold of, Professor. The battle is only lost if you allow it to be."

"Only if I allow it to be, hm?" He echoed her words.

"Yes," Edelgard nodded. "And if you choose to keep fighting, then I will be there to reach out my hand for you, my teacher. If you choose to accept it."

"Alright," was his only dry response.

"Please get some rest for now. And I hope that you will consider my words."

With Bilet still minimally responsive, teacher and student parted ways into the night.

* * *

The following days of the Guardian Moon passed by somberly. Bilet made his return to the classroom and fought to hold a brave face while teaching. A small part of him felt comforted by his students and of fulfilling his teaching duty, something which he had come to enjoy in spite of everything. But his focus was divided. Caught between them, his grief, and his suspicions.

They all meant well. The whole month, everywhere he turned, it seemed that someone was there to greet him with a sad face and words of pity. Leonie and Alois had difficulty holding back tears each time he saw them. Bilet waved off their concerns, insisted over and over that he was fine, despite the way just hearing Jeralt's name stung.

Byleth faced a similar experience, but unlike Bilet, gradually holed up in her personal quarters less and less as the month went on. Each time that she tried reaching out to her brother, he would wave her off. Still, she refused to give up on trying. After various attempts, she was able to catch him just past the dining hall one evening.

"Bilet!" She had called out to him in an almost frantic manner.

"Yes?"

"I… was hoping that we could have some tea together. Please?"

"Sorry, I'll have to pass. I have things to catch up on," he shook his head.

"Bilet, we need to talk about this…" Byleth looked to the ground. Dealing with the loss was hard enough without being completely shut out by her brother on top of it.

"Byleth, it's pointless."

"It isn't," she insisted.

"... Did you read the diary?" The question flew out before he could think better of it. It had been stewing inside since that night in Jeralt's quarters, desperate to know the answer.

"What?" Byleth looked caught off guard by his words.

"Father's diary. What he left behind for us. Did you read it?"

His sister hesitated for just a moment before speaking, her tone growing quieter. "... I did."

"Then you know. How that woman views me."

"Bilet, I don't…" Byleth bit her lip. Certainly, she had been just as shocked to read about Rhea's past accusation. She couldn't fathom why the woman would think such a thing about a newborn. Especially when that newborn grew to become Bilet.

"Don't what? Believe Father's own written words? That perfect, wonderful Lady Rhea could call for the murder of an infant?" Bilet's words were scathing and angry, and he glared at his sister in a way she had never witnessed before.

"That's not what I meant! I…" she began to raise her own voice, but quickly took a deep breath, realizing how public their conversation was. "Keep your voice down, brother. It isn't that I don't believe it… But I don't understand it. She allowed you to teach here…"

Bilet scoffed. "So that erases it? Makes it all okay?"

"No! But perhaps she realized just how wrong she was… Whatever in the world made her come to such a conclusion back then… Of course it was wrong, and after all of this time, she must see that now, right?" Byleth pondered. "She can see that there isn't one evil thing about you. Maybe that's why she asked us to teach here… It still doesn't make sense, but-"

"Believe what you will, sister."

"Bilet… Reading such a thing, I know that you must be…" Byleth's brows furrowed in frustration. "Look, what I'm trying to say is… Whatever happened in the past, she's had ample opportunity to bring it up again."

"Maybe," Bilet glanced away, taking a moment to ponder his sister's words. She was not incorrect… But it failed to bring him any sort of comfort nonetheless. "But I don't trust her. I won't."

"I understand…" Byleth would not fault him for it. After reading the diary, she had also been filled with a mound of suspicion for Rhea.

"I need to be going," he insisted.

Byleth could only nod in response as her brother curtly turned his back to her. Watching him go, she realized that she could not truly understand his feelings regarding the diary. She could only assume he must have felt a degree of fear afterward. Sothis spoke words of comfort, but they did little to mend her woes.

For her part, the female professor did her best to press onward with each new day. Each was a day without Jeralt. Another day with her family unit irreparably damaged, and another day that she was unable to close the gap forming between she and her brother. Bilet was hurting just as she was, she was well aware, and he had been given an unsettling truth on top of it. Neither spoke again of the diary's contents, but Byleth noticed the way he actively avoided going anywhere near the cathedral or Rhea's usual spots. He seemed to avoid most anyone who was not a student, though nobody seemed to grow suspicious, only attributing the distance to his grief.

Claude, having also read the diary, was able to see through Bilet's actions. He had questioned Byleth on the subject only once- clearly just as mystified by Rhea's past claims- but she had refused to discuss it with him. Despite his insatiable curiosity, in this instance he had backed down, and Byleth was thankful for it. Several nights that month were spent with Claude, often late in the library when the two could not sleep. Most times, he would simply talk to her; about classes, or more often about his theories surrounding the church. Occasionally he would tell her stories from his youth. Those were often vague, but entertaining and oddly soothing in a way. She was grateful for his company.

By the end of the month, those responsible for Jeralt's death had been located. Claude had convinced Rhea and Seteth to allow the Golden Deer to pursue them in a manner only his smooth talking could achieve. For Byleth, the need for revenge had taken over in full force. Nothing could have stopped her from going after them.

She had asked Bilet to join them, as the revenge was just as much his to be had. But he turned her down in the same listless manner he'd exhibited all month. Byleth had near pleaded for him to fight with her, but her twin would not budge.

When she finally left the monastery, Bilet retreated to his room. His face was buried into his pillow, craving the soft, cool feel of the fabric against his cheeks. But the action brought minimal comfort. The voice had been raging in his ears the entire time Byleth spoke to him. Commanding him to stay behind, insisting it was a trap, that he would surely be killed if he went. There was a part of him that gnawed for the chance at revenge for Jeralt, a part just as desperate to fight as Byleth was. But the voice and his grief won the battle, subduing that desire along with all his strength.

He could only lay there, wondering if his sister would meet the same fate. The voice echoed against his thoughts, reminding him of Rhea's actions, and of the fact he could truly trust no one. Those whispers had lingered through his entire life. Jeralt and Byleth were his exception, the ones he would never accept as untrustworthy. But now…

_You must accept the reality. He will not come back. Because of her. And your sister? Is she any better? You saw her stop time. Why would she not do so again? She allowed him to die._

_She could have prevented this. If she wanted to._

* * *

Some time later, Bilet awoke to a frantic banging on his door. His head pounded, each knock coming through like a needle, and he stumbled out of bed. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find a half tearful, half bloodied Leonie.

"Professor!" She cried out and nearly fell over into his arms upon seeing his face. She was bandaged crudely on her arm and stomach, with a large bandage on her cheek accompanied by several fresh scratches. Two tears leaked from her eyes as she attempted to compose herself enough to speak.

"L.. Leonie?" Bilet was taken aback. "What in the..? You need to get to-"

"We did it!" Leonie exclaimed. She placed her hands on the male's shoulders, facing him with a bittersweet smile. "We got them… Monica and Solon, they're.. They're done. And the Professor is.. She's…!"

Bilet felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. "Byleth? What happened?!"

"No, not like that! She's fine!" Leonie wiped tears from her eyes as she spoke. "She's just… You have to see her!"

And Bilet would have followed, but was promptly informed that Rhea was tending to her. The male professor was quick to shift gears and make use of his best flat expression; insisting knowing Byleth was alive was enough for the time being, and that Leonie's wounds needed proper attention. After some arguing, he managed to escort his father's apprentice to the infirmary and leave her in the hands of Manuela.

Then, he was forced to wait. He cursed his own fear, but was unable to overcome it and risk a run in with the archbishop. Surprisingly, for what felt like the first time since Jeralt's death, the voice had gone quiet.

And some hours later, Byleth emerged and found her way to him. Bilet heard her call out his name and turned around to face her at last, her voice alone shooting relief through him. But the person standing before him was no longer the sister he once knew. The color drained from his face.

"You look like you've seen a ghost…" Byleth frowned. "You haven't been talking with Lysithea, have you?"

Her attempt to lighten the mood fell flat. Bilet stared at the person before him, whose voice matched that of his sister's while her appearance betrayed it. Her hair had changed to a bright shade of mint, her eyes- eyes which used to mirror his own- had become a piercing light green. She seemed to glow as she stood there, reminding him more of a reflection of _Rhea_ than of his own self.

"You're…" He managed to choke out, his throat seeming to have gone dry.

"Some things have changed…"

He felt ill.

* * *

_You see her now. The sister whom you loved so much has gone as well._

No.

_Consumed by the false Goddess. By that woman's treachery._

No, no, no.

_She will never return to what she once was. That girl is gone. Replaced._

She can't…

_Accept it. The truth is undeniable._

* * *

The Pegasus Moon arrived with a seemingly brighter spirit than the previous one. The inhabitants of the monastery took solace in knowing Jeralt's killer had been put to justice, and remained enamored with Byleth's strange new appearance. It seemed that around any given corner you could find someone whispering about the phenomenon.

For his part, Bilet maintained a certain distance from his sister. Ever since her return, he had busied himself in any way possible. When not hiding away in his quarters, the male professor would be involved with his students, building lessons or sparring with them. He even indulged Felix and Leonie in training considerably more often.

While many attributed this to his working to overcome the grief, not all felt they were positive changes. Dorothea was one such person. She hung back after class one day, allowing her classmates to filter out before approaching her professor, who had already begun scribbling notes for himself.

"Professor," she began, her tone gentle. It seemed to take him a moment to register her presence, but his eyes soon looked up to meet hers. "I just… wanted to check in. Recently, you've felt so… distant."

"I'm not sure what you mean by that."

Dorothea frowned. His flat, unreadable expression was in full force. "You're here with us, teaching and training like always… But it's different. It's like you aren't really 'here', honestly. Like… you're floating above the clouds, separate from all of us."

"Dorothea, you're reading far too much into things," Bilet shook his head.

"Am I?" she persisted. "Because it feels like you have no interest in coming back down to us… And I- I just want to help you if I can, Professor."

Bilet stood up, piling together his notes and books before meeting his student's saddened gaze once more. "I'm not sure what to say to that. But I will say that you needn't worry."

She met him with a smile, but it was not an honest one.

* * *

_She's fooling every last one of them._

While Bilet kept his distance from Byleth as best he could, running into her around the monastery was inevitable. Each time he so much as caught a glimpse of that brightened hair, he could feel his stomach churn. That person was _not _his sister. She was a puppet of the church masquerading as her. Yet every person fell for it, fawning over her just the same as they always had.

This particular time, he had seen her from safely afar. Bilet had noticed the green hair from a window he passed by, and now found himself gazing outside. From there he could see Byleth, who was discussing something with an eager looking Lysithea. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the simple scene. The distance provided a shield, allowing him to observe the way she still exuded everything about his twin while at the same time, absolutely nothing.

It made him seethe.

"Find something interesting out there?"

Bilet stiffened. Claude had approached him and was now standing before the male professor with a look of infuriating intrigue. Arms crossed and wearing a trademark smirk, the sharp green eyes of the student were prying, contradicting that outward carefree appearance.

"Claude. Can I help you?"

"Not me. But you can't fault a guy for getting a little curious when you're looking so intently like that."

The playful tone did not mask his true intentions. Claude was suspicious of him, Bilet knew it. He tensed under the prying gaze, narrowing his own eyes and holding tight to his stone-faced demeanor. "I was just a little lost in thought. That's all."

"About Teach?" Claude raised an eyebrow. "If you've got something to say to her, you should probably say it. Pretty sure that she'd like to hear from you. Unless this is about something else…"

Bilet's fists clenched as Claude's sentence trailed off. Something about the way the student spoke of his sister only served to annoy him further. In truth, many things about the young heir irritated Bilet. His penchant for trickery, the easygoing smiles, that insatiable curiosity… And the way he was so often attached to Byleth.

_Nobody is around. Do not allow him to mock you further._

The voice burned in Bilet's ears, and before fully realizing it, he'd taken a step toward the other male. Claude visibly tensed; the playful expression faded into seriousness in the blink of an eye, though he did not move. Wordlessly, Bilet took another step forward.

"Claude? Professor Bilet? Is everything alright?"

Before any further actions could be taken, Dimitri's voice cut through the tension. He had approached the pair with a slight look of concern, and Bilet had to hold back a scowl. Claude, however, jumped right back into a smirk. He waved the prince over and gave him a familiar pat on the shoulder.

"Hey, your princeliness! We were just comparing some tactics. Y'know, his style compared to Teach's. Gotta keep those twins on their toes, right?"

"Ah, that does sound rather interesting…" Dimitri nodded. He shot a small smile to Bilet, whose expression remained cold.

"Interesting as always, Claude," Bilet replied. "Sorry, though, I have to be going now. Sparring with Caspar."

Without allowing either the chance to respond, the professor departed.

Bilet maintained a hurried pace down the corridor. He had begun to feel dizzy, his head seeming to spin round and round, filled with the chidings of that ever familiar voice. He needed to make it back to his quarters. Being in the monastery left him far too vulnerable, the voice echoed this repeatedly, urging him to retreat for his own good. He pressed onward, blocking out each and every voice that attempted to reach him. That is, until he was stopped by the one voice he could not ignore.

"Professor, do you have a moment?"

Edelgard. Her lips curled into a small smile when she beckoned him, and Bilet kept his fists clenched tight as he turned to face her.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice struggling not to falter. Fortunately, she seemed to pay his unease no mind.

"Well… There is something that I must do, Professor. I was hoping that you would join me," she began. "It will take a few days, but I promise we'll be back for that ceremony they're having at the Holy Tomb. I know that seems like it will be significant for your sister."

Bilet hesitated for only a brief moment. "... Where are we going?"

"To Enbarr, the Imperial Capital. There is something I must do there."

* * *

A/N: All aboard the angst train..!

It feels like I stuffed a lot into this chapter, but I chose to do it this way rather than splitting it into two and prolonging the timeskip more. We're so close! I'm pretty excited to start writing the next chapter, even though things aren't going to get easier for anyone... Sorry, Byleth twins. :'(


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